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Welcome to the home of National Parental Involvement Day & Public School Volunteer Week!
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Connect, Engage and Sustain Parents and Families
Research has repeatedly shown that family engagement in education has a positive impact on student achievement. However, despite this evidence, family engagement is often not included as an integral part of school reform efforts. Project Appleseed was founded to address this issue and promote family engagement in public schools. By activating social capital – the networks, norms, and trust within communities – Project Appleseed works to increase academic achievement and create positive change in schools.
One way Project Appleseed promotes family engagement is through the use of the Family Engagement Toolbox. This toolbox is a collection of resources and strategies that schools can use to support and encourage family engagement. By encouraging families to take the Parent Engagement Pledge, schools can generate significant economic value through volunteer hours.
According to U.S. Department of Education data, 43% of K-12 parents volunteer at school, and Independent Sector (IS) has announced that the estimated value of a volunteer hour in the United States reached $31.80 in 2022, up 6.2 percent from 2021. This means that each parent who takes the Parent Engagement Pledge generates $300.00 in volunteer impact. Project Appleseed's program can increase family engagement by considering steps such as these and can help create meaningful and lasting change in schools.